Printing very fine detail
I'm trying to print in PLA the pendant with the very small text shown. I am using a 0.2 nozzle and settings in Simplify3D are 0.1 layer, 0.12 line width. Some details are missing from the S3D code, but that's okay. I'd like the lines and details that are printed to be better defined. I have tried a few settings but I don't seem to be getting anywhere. Anyone have any suggestions?
RE: Printing very fine detail
This is the print result I'm getting -
RE: Printing very fine detail
This is the print result I'm getting -
RE: Printing very fine detail
Do you mean extrusion width by line width? So your width is smaller than your nozzle diameter?
RE: Printing very fine detail
Do you mean extrusion width by line width? So your width is smaller than your nozzle diameter?
Yes, extrusion width 1.2 mm, less than nozzle diameter of 0.2 mm
RE: Printing very fine detail
Well for one, extrusion width lower than nozzle diameter is pretty uncommon. How could the extrusion be thinner than the nozzle bore? With that kind of setting, I would expect an extrusion that is the size of the bore or only slightly smaller but with a bit of underextrusion. I believe that is what you see at the "frame" of your part and at the (presumably) keychain hole. The areas where the part should be massive clearly show gaps.
Since most of your detail still consist of more than one perimeter, how about changing extrusion width to 0.2mm and activate the "detect thin walls" function in your slicer if it has it. That would probably increase the quality at the cost of a little detail.
RE: Printing very fine detail
Do you mean extrusion width by line width? So your width is smaller than your nozzle diameter?
Yes, extrusion width 1.2 mm, less than nozzle diameter of 0.2 mm
1.2 mm is larger that 0.2 mm, at least according to my education. So I am lost.
RE: Printing very fine detail
A 0.2 mm nozzle can reliably create a 0.2 mm diameter circle, a line radius of 0.1 mm. Expecting anything else is probably asking too much. There are 0.15 mm nozzles out there.
e.g., the default 0.4 mm nozzle can lay down a 0.35 mm line for supports, but positional accuracy falls to is +/- 0.1 mm. Same physics for a 0.2 mm nozzle. Printing less than the nozzle diameter will yield positional inaccuracies.
RE: Printing very fine detail
@tim-m30/ timo-m: Apologies for the typo. I had meant o.12 width. But the advice you provided is good and it explained the poor quality I got initially. I have since had a significant improvement by making the thin perimeter setting adjustments in S3D. I had not explored those settings before and it has since proven useful in a number of other projects. For this fine work I will try the 0.15 nozzle option and see if I can get the best possible. Thanks for your help!